Truss lifter and stabilizer

ABSTRACT

A truss lifter and stabilizer that allows a single individual to install, lift and secure trusses. The truss lifter and stabilizer is installed to an already secured truss. Then a new truss is attached to the truss lifter and stabilizer and lifted into place. The loose attachment of the first cleat allows the user to manipulate the truss while still attached to the truss lifter and stabilizer to correctly position the truss for installation. The truss is then secured to the structure. The process is repeated until all of the trusses have been lifted and secured to the structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a truss lifter and stabilizer that is capableof loosely attaching to the frame construction of a building such as ahouse, garage or pole barn. The truss lifter and stabilizer is attachedto the frame structure and lifts a truss into place for securement ofthat truss to the frame structure.

The truss lifter and stabilizer is capable of being quickly installed tolift a truss and then just as quickly being removed and secured to anexisting truss once which allows for lifting the next truss into place.It has been discovered that the loose attachment allows the truss lifterand stabilizer to be manipulated in order to place each new truss in itscorrect position. It has also been discovered that the simplicity of thepresent invention allows the device to be placed and operated by asingle individual. This aspect alone gives the device a greater utilityover any prior art device.

The applicant recognizes that the following prior art exists but is notrelevant to the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,662 issued onAug. 15, 1989 to Marvin et al. entitled “Pedestal Crane and Method ofAssembling and Erecting it”. U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,583 issued on Jun. 8,1971 to Martin, entitled “Material-handling Apparatus”. U.S. Pat. No.7,069,704 issued on Jul. 4, 2006 to Pendley entitled “Roofing RailTransportation System”. U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,114 issued on Aug. 21, 1979to Nutter, entitled “Truss Hoist”. U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,257 issued onSep. 9, 2008 to Neufeldt, entitled “Truss Gripping Hook”. U.S. Pat. No.3,984,010 issued on Oct. 5, 1976 to Woloveke et al., entitled “TrussStacking Apparatus”. U.S. Pat. No. 4,621,741 on Nov. 11, 1986 to Boon,entitled Readily Disassembleable Portable Roof Hoist Which is Mounted onthe Roof of a Building for Lifting Heavy Products to the Roof FromBelow”. U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,096 issued on Sep. 10, 1985 to Orvis,entitled “Truss Boom”. U.S. Pat. No. 6,957,383 issued Oct. 25, 2005 toNowak, entitled “Truss Lift Stiffener”. U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,464 issuedOct. 14, 1980 to Wallace, entitled “Gantries”. U.S. Pat. No. 2,811,111issued Oct. 29, 1957, entitled “Machinery Trailer for a Mobile Shop”.

THE INVENTION

The present invention is a truss lifter and stabilizer. The truss lifterand stabilizer is comprised of a main vertical mast that has a near end,a distal end, a front side and a back side.

The truss lifter and stabilizer has a first cleat that is rigidlyaffixed to the back side of the vertical mast near the near end and aretrieval system fixedly attached to the front side near the near end.

The truss lifter and stabilizer has a primary horizontal strut mountedon the front side and near the distal end. The primary horizontal struthas a bottom surface. The primary horizontal strut has a brace extendingfrom the primary horizontal strut to the vertical mast.

This brace is rigidly affixed to the primary horizontal strut and thevertical mast.

The strut has at least two guide pulleys mounted on the bottom surface.Also present is a crown cleat mounted on the back surface and near thedistal end, the crown cleat configured to fit a peak of a truss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a full side view of the truss lifter and stabilizer of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 shows a full back view of a crown cleat.

FIG. 3 shows a full side view of a bottom cleat attached to a portion ofthe mast.

FIG. 4 shows the truss lifter and stabilizer installed on a framestructure.

FIG. 5 is an expanded area of FIG. 4 showing the first cleat and theframe construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a full side view of the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 ofthe present invention. The vertical mast 4 has a near end 6 and a distalend 8. The vertical mast 4 of the present invention also has a frontside 10 and a back side 12. The first cleat 14 is mounted on thevertical mast 4 near the near end 10 on the back side 12. Near thedistal end 8 of the vertical mast 4 is a second cleat 16. At the distalend 8 of the vertical mast 4 is a horizontal strut 20. This horizontalstrut 20 has a near end 32 and a distal end 34 as well as a bottomsurface 22. The distal end 8 of the vertical mast 4 and the near end 32of the horizontal strut 20 are joined and supported by a brace 24.

The retrieval system 18 of the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 is locatedon the front 10 of the vertical mast 4. The retrieval system 18 consistsof a hand crank 36, at least a first pulley 26, a second pulley 28 andan attachment point 40 at the end of the retrieval system cable 42.

FIG. 2 shows the crown cleat or second cleat 16 from the back. Thiscleat is mounted to the back surface 12 of the vertical mast 4. Thisfeature is critical to the utility of the invention, in that, the secondcleat 16 sits on the peak of the last truss that was place on the framestructure 44 (shown in FIG. 4) and secured on the frame structure 44.Once a truss 46 (shown in FIG. 4) is secured the truss lifter andstabilizer 2 is attached to that truss 46 and a new truss 46 is liftedinto place to be secured. The bottom surface 38 of the second cleat 16is configured to accept the peak 48 of a truss 46.

FIG. 3 shows the bottom cleat 14 from the side. This cleat 14 is alsocritical to the utility of the truss lifter and stabilizer 2, in that,it fits over the bottom member of a truss 46 (shown in FIG. 4), but doesso loosely. This loose fit gives the operator the capability of movingthe truss lifter and stabilizer 2, as well as the truss 46, to get thealignment for the installation to the frame structure 44. The bottomcleat 14 is attached to the backside 12 of the vertical mast 4. Thecleat 14 resembles an L bracket and with its attachment to the verticalmast 4 it keeps the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 from kicking out andaway during the lifting process.

FIG. 4 shows the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 installed on a framestructure 44. It has been discovered that the dimensional constructionof the truss lifter and it keeps the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 fromkicking out and away during the lifting process.

FIG. 4 shows the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 installed on a framestructure 44. It has been discovered that the dimensional constructionof the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 is such that when it is attached tothe last truss 46 that was secured to the frame structure 44, anddeployed, it lifts the next truss 46 almost exactly where it is requiredto be installed on the frame structure 44.

The operator must attach the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 to anexisting truss 46. Once the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 is secured,the cable 42 is guided out of the retrieval system 18 and attached tothe truss 46 at its peak 48 at attachment point 40 of the cable 42. Oncethe truss 46 is secured to the attachment point 40 the retrieval system18 is activated raising the truss 46 off of the ground and up to thelevel of the frame construction 44 where it is to be attached to theframe construction 44. The truss 46 is manipulated into place then it issecured to the frame construction 44. Once the truss 46 is secured tothe frame construction 44 the truss lifter and stabilizer 2 is removedfrom the previous truss 46 and attached to the newest truss 46 and theprocess starts over. The process is repeated until all of the trusses 46have been lifted and secured to the frame construction 44.

From this figure it is clear that the truss lifter and stabilizer issecured to the top 50 of the frame construction 44. Also visible is theside 52 and bottom 54 of the frame construction 44.

The truss lifter and stabilizer 2 is capable of being installed by asingle person and then used by a single person. This makes theconstruction of a building of frame construction possible by a singleperson. These operations ordinarily require more than one person. Asingle individual is now capable of building a house, pole barn orgarage without the assistance of any other person. The cost is thus cutin half.

FIG. 5 is an expanded view of the circular area of FIG. 4. This figurefeatures a closer view of first cleat 14 and its attachment to the top50 of the frame construction 44. It is clear that the first cleat 14encompasses the top 50 as well as the side 52 of the frame construction44.

What is claimed is:
 1. A truss lifter and stabilizer, said lifter and stabilizer comprising: a main vertical mast having a near end, a distal end, a front side and a back side; there being a first cleat rigidly affixed to said back side of said vertical mast near said near end and a retrieval system fixedly attached to said front side near said near end; there being a primary horizontal strut mounted on said front side and near said distal end, said primary horizontal strut having a bottom surface, said primary horizontal strut having a brace extending from said primary horizontal strut to said vertical mast, said brace rigidly affixed to said primary horizontal strut and said vertical mast; said strut having at least two guide pulleys mounted on said bottom surface; a crown cleat mounted on said back surface and near said distal end, said crown cleat configured to fit a peak of a truss.
 2. The truss lifter and stabilizer as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is a line extending from said retrieval system, over said guide pulleys and extending beyond said guide pulleys.
 3. The truss lifter and stabilizer as claimed in claim 2, wherein said line is selected from the group consisting of cord, twine, rope, wire, cable, and chain. 